Saranac River Trail

The Saranac River is the geographic spine of our community. It was one of the North Country’s first food sources, highways and industrial strips. Without the river flowing into the lake, Plattsburgh likely wouldn’t exist where it does today. Yet, like many urban rivers in America, the Saranac was ignored for decades. Large sections of this beautiful river, even those bordering public land, are inaccessible to the public - until now...

The Saranac River Trail greatly expands two overlooked, common-sense transportation options: walking and cycling. The path allows easy, safe trips from neighborhoods to local schools, especially Stafford Middle School and Plattsburgh High School, likely leading to decreased traffic headaches on Broad and Rugar streets at school drop-off and pickup times. The city estimates the “mobility benefits” from the path, including eased traffic congestion, to be $115,000 a year.

Friends of Saranac River Trail, Inc. is a non-profit corporation chartered in the State of New York. It is a grass-roots group formed to develop and promote the tourist, recreational, commercial, historical, and natural opportunities of Saranac River Trail by providing public information; coordinating volunteer opportunities; as well as developing and purchasing trail amenities such as signs, benches, and the universally accessible Max Moore Memorial Treehouse.

The IRS has certified it as a 501(c)(3) organization, and it is registered with the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau.